Russian art and English funghi......

sorry this one wouldn't turn around

I have recently been watching a fantastic BBC programme on the History of Russian Art, which inspired me to change my blog header. I recently was lucky enough to sail from St Petersburg to Moscow and apart from learning how massive Russia is, a concept that I don't think that you understand until you go and then look at your travels on a map, but also the History of the Art and people.

As with most foreign trips you are taken to the touristy places however there are more interesting places that you may find, we were offered a trip to the Tretyakov gallery, not many people took it up but mum and I went. It is an unassuming building from the outside, but as you enter it is a lovely art deco interior (unfortunatly no pictures, and the gallery loses out here as they only sell postcards/books of the some of the artworks and none of the fantastic deco lighting and chandeliers!). You are shown the portraits, etc,etc and the amazing icons, however we were dragged away from the rooms showing paintings of fantasy fairy worlds, "lordoftheringsesque", incredible! I urge you to watch the programme, I hope that it is on the Iplayer.

Back to the point however, searching through my pictures I had lots of glittery icons and gaudy onion topped towers but I came across this pale mural from one of the churches along our route and decided that amongst all of the excitement of the season something serene would make a change, I hope that you agree?!

MY FUNGHI for Christmas? well apart from Michael (fun guy?! haha), (who has already polished off all of the mince pies), I noticed that my two large willow stumps that we use as seats in the garden have become covered in the most lovely funghi.....

Art and beauty is all around, it doesn't have to be the most ancient and expensive.